Collapsible boat



. L. FERRARI.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20. I919.

0 2. 9 1T an 3 2 J E mm 62 m w a P L. FERRARI.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT..

APPLICATlON FILED AUG. 20, 1919- Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- F/E. Z7.

UNITED STATES rA ENr orrlcs- LORENZO rnnaanror AKLAND, cnmronnin. M

COLLAPSIBLE roar. j

7 Application filed August 20, 1919;

This invention relates-to collapsible boats,

and will be especially useful for life-saving boats, particularly foruse on vessels, where space is valuable.

In carrying out the invention I make use of side frames which are hingedat the bottom and adapted to hold inward. With these I employ stretchersto hold the frames out when the boat is expanded, and I use canvas tokeep the water out, which canvas may fold in when the boat is collapsed.I make use also of other instrumentalities which will appear hereinafterin the detailed description which follows.

In the accompanying 2 sheets of drawings I have illustrated my inventionin the form in which I now contemplate embodyin it, and in which Figure1 is an elevation from one side of the expanded boat.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 1, butomitting the rudder V and propeller.

Fig. 4 is a midship cross-section, of they expanded boat, taken on theline 4:, 4, of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is the same of the collapsed boat. Fig. 6is a side view of one of the removable bulkheads.

In the figuresz-The keel of the boat is represented by 1. To this keelare hinged the side bars 2, extending upward to the gunwales 3.Extending fore and aft, at about the level of the gunwales, is a centerbeam 1, reaching from bow to stem, and

having pivoted to it at suitable points, the swinging bars 5, which whenswung to the athwartship position, hold the side bars 2 in theiroutermost position, and the boat is then expanded, but when swung totheir fore and aft position, permit the side bars 2 to be swung inwardto collapse the boat. When the boat is expanded triangular pieces '6 aredropped into grooves in the bars 2 and into the stem and stern post 7and constitute bulkheads at those points. The interior portion of theboat is lined with canvas 8, which serves to keep out the water. Thecanvas is Specification of terms Patent. p t t N0 23, 920;

Serial No. 318,636.

secured to the post 7,. which supportslit i against the inner face ofthebulkhead ti, side;-

boards 9, fastenedto the bars 2 and-floors .60 ship, and thus protect.the canvas from the board 10, which extends fore and aft amidpressure ofwater.

To assist the buoyancy of the boat, tube 11, may be secured to the sidebars2, upon the water side thereof, and held in place by strips 12, orotherwise. The g'unwales 3, are made broad enough to serve as seats, andare provided with lazy-backs 13. The boat may be propelled by a screw14:, driven by a beltv 15, passing through a vertical tubular passage(not shown) extending from the center beam 1, to lower edge of thecanvas and over pulleys 16, from a drive drum 17 operated by cranks 18.-A rudder 19 controlled by a tiller 20, serves to steer the boat.

The convergence of the bow and stem are provided for by the hingedgunwale members 21,-hinged at 22 to the gunwale proper 3, and at theiropposite ends to 'blocks23,

which blocks are connected to the member 1 by pins 24-. I

Slots 25 permit the required movement of the blocks 28, and the,indicator portions of the bow and stern are also lined with convas 8,secured to the gunwale members 21, the keel and post 7 which hold thecanvas against the outer face side of the bulkhead 6. In operation, whenit is desired to collapse the boat, the bulkhead members 6 are liftedout. The bars 5 are swung inward beneath the center beam and the sideframes are then brought together toward the center of the boat. I

Having thus described my invention, and an embodiment of it, in thefull," clear and exact terms required by law, and knowing that itcomprises novel, usefuland valuable improvements in the art to which itper tains, I here state that I donot wish to be limited to the preciseconstruction and arrangement of the several parts, as herein set forth,as the same may be variously modified by a skilled mechanic withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is the fol- 2. A collapsible boat having a center beam and sideframes, said side frames being adapted to approach each other tocollapse, and recede from each other to expand the boat, and barspivoted to said center beam adapted to be swung athwartship to supportsaid frames in their expanded position.

3. A collapsible boat having a keel and a center beam, vertical barshinged to said keel, pivoted side frames supported by said verticalbars, pivotally mounted bars upon said center beam and adapted to beswung 4 athvvartship therefrom to support said vertica'l bars andpivoted side frames in their expanded position.

4. collapsible boat having side frames, a floor-board and end posts,bulkheads engaging said side frames and end posts for holding said partsin an expanded position, an interior canvas secured to said side frames,end posts and the floor-board, said end posts being adapted to supportsaid canvas against said bulkheads.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing I have hereto set my hand inthe presence of two Witnesses, this 14th day of Aug. 1919.

LORENZO FERRARI. Vitnesses:

D. B. RIoHARDs, FLORENCE L. WOLFE.

